


Baby Mine

by Words_soothe_and_satisfy_me



Category: Free!
Genre: Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Men Crying, Singing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-19
Updated: 2015-10-19
Packaged: 2018-04-27 02:29:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5030185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Words_soothe_and_satisfy_me/pseuds/Words_soothe_and_satisfy_me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After returning from his impromptu dream finding trip to Australia with Rin, Haru believes that Makoto is back to his usual happy self. He finds out just how wrong he is when they go back to Haruka's home that night. What do you do with a crying Makoto?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby Mine

**Author's Note:**

> My first 'Free!' Fic, my first posted work on AO3 AND my first piece in years. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It is basically tooth rotting fluff. It is also un-beta'd, so if you spot any mistakes that I don't grab- let me know! (If you are interested in playing Beta for my future works- let me know that too!)
> 
> For those who don't know the song- https://youtu.be/PtOyWfkg7Wc?list=PLLVrWlt-XQBTuppZWU8ClByCQ9bHtk25J

They stood at the fork in the stairs that led to each boys home, their normal comfortable silence was stretching thin and causing them to fidget and scuff their shoes on the ground. Haru's normal stoic expression didn't help the situation at all when Makoto finally braced himself and looked up at his childhood friend.

He opened and closed his mouth multiple times, but the words just wouldn't come- what would he even say? Forest green eyes closed in an attempt to pull his scattered thoughts together. He froze completely when he felt long, thin and cold fingers grasp at left hand, eyes still firmly shut. "Come to mine?" Haru's voice was soft and cautious, a question tonight where on others it would be a statement, a given. Makoto swallowed heavily and turned in the direction of the Nanase home, opening his eyes he stared up the stairs that had led him to Haru time and time again, the familiarity and nostalgia of the path bubbled in his chest and caused him to blink a few times to rid himself of the dewy feeling that had begun to build there.

Haru watched his friend from the corner of his eye, hand still clasped around Makoto's much larger one, he squeezed the hand in his as a sign of reassurance. Makoto tilted his head in the smaller boys direction and offered that well known and loved smile as they climbed the last of the stairs. Reaching forward with his unoccupied hand, Haru slid the door open. "Haru!" Blinking, he looked up into green eyes that were wide with concern and raised an eyebrow in question. ' _what?' ._ Makoto stood staring between the now open door and Haru with disbelief. "You left your house unlocked this entire time?!" He squeaked out. Haru released Makoto's hand and stepped through the threshold to toe his shoes off and drop his bag at the entry way, he looked back at his friend and offered a one shoulder shrug. 

Shaking his head, Makoto finally entered the familiar house and placed his bag more carefully on the ground beside Haruka's. Said friend wandered towards the kitchen as Makoto removed his shoes before following. The silence had begun to settle in once more and he stood fidgeting in the doorway while watching his friend glance into the fridge. After five minutes of useless searching Haru turned and stared at the taller boy with an annoyed expression. ' _I haven't had time to go shopping since I got back.'_ He thought sullenly. Makoto ceased his fidgeting and smiled openly. "It's okay Haru, we can order pizza or something and go shopping tomorrow." The taller boy once again proving his abilities to read the water lover shining through.

With a nod Haru dug the local pizza parlors menu from a draw and dropped it in front of Makoto. They shared a glance which caused Makoto to chuckle softly. "It's alright Haru. Go have a bath and I'll order the pizza, extra mackeral?" Deep sea blue eyes blinked slowly before the raven haired teen nodded and bee-lined for his bathroom. He could hear Makoto's deep voice ordering pizza through the wall as he proceeded to fill his tub.  
                                           
                                                                            @};----  
  
Makoto sat at the kitchen table, head tilted in the direction of Haru's bathroom, his thoughts still swirling around his mind messily. He wanted to apologise to his friend for the harsh way he had spoken to him, wanted to assure him that whatever dream he had, or would ever want- Makoto would be there to help him all the way. He had never felt as lost as he had when Rin had taken him away to Australia, even if he had encouraged Rin to take Haruka in the first place. He had still felt empty, he had still stood on the steps in the morning in preparation of pulling the water loving teen from his bath and he had found it unsettling that the things that usually made up their morning together were not there. He had reassured Rei and Nagisa that it was in Haru's best interest to miss a few days of school and do a bit of soul searching. He hadn't informed the two of the fight that had caused Haru's disappearance- he was still trying to stomach the blame as it was.  
  
He had pushed his friend too hard and felt lucky that Haru still wanted to be friends. Scrubbing the palms of his hands over his face he leant back and sighed. Most of all, he wanted to explain to Haru what had got him scared in the first place. Wanted to explain that when he had put his dream in motion of becoming a swimming coach, the very thought of not having Haru there or at the very least a short train ride away caused an anxiety he had never felt before to grip in his chest. That was where the guilt really came from- he felt selfish for not knowing how to get through his day without Nanase Haruka. A loud knock at the door violently shoved him from his self deprecating thoughts, sighing deeply he exhaled loudly through his nose before going to pay for and retrieve their pizza from the delivery person.  
  
He sat the two boxes on the living room table and sank down to his knees, the brief distraction that the arrival of their dinner had provided now gone, he could feel his eyes begin to itch. He knew he should go and pull his friend from the bathtub, but all he could bring himself to do was stare in that direction. Several empty moments passed before he felt the heavy and warm drops on his hands that were balled on top of his thighs, he felt a sob wrench free from somewhere deep inside himself and he quickly brought his hands up to cover his face, he tried a few times to get the sobs and tears under control, but failed, instead he pressed his face to his hands and finally let free what had been building inside him since that night.  
  
                                                                           @};----  
  
Haru sat waiting patiently in the rapidly cooling bathwater, he had heard their dinner arrive and was now awaiting the arrival of his best friend to pull him from the porcelain tub. But after a few minutes of silence he shook his head to rid his hair of excess water and pushed himself up, grabbing his towel he patted himself down and debated whether or not he should change into his sleep pants or leave his jammers on. Going with his tried and true preference he slung the towel around his shoulders and pulled the plug to allow the water to drain away.   
  
Quietly he stepped out into the hallway and then froze, he could hear the heartbreaking sobs coming from his living room, it was a gasp of breath that sounded almost desperate that pulled him into action. He raced into the room and stared at his large friend that was now laying in the fetal position on the floor, hands covering his face. "M-Makoto?" He spoke softly, afraid of what was happening, afraid of hurting his friend further. "What happened? What's wrong?" He moved over to the taller teen and dropped down to his knees beside him, placing a hand on the shaking shoulder before him, trying to encourage Makoto to look at him.   
  
"H-H-Haru!" The wail the burst forth was soul shattering and broke the smaller boys heart. He didn't know what to do, he was beginning to panic when a memory flashed through his mind of how Makoto calmed his younger twin siblings when they were this upset. His face grew hot as he half lay behind his large friend. tucking his legs up against Makoto's, he leaned over and gently wrapped an arm over the broad chest and pulled him back a little. He swallowed a few times trying to bring up the nerve to take the next step.  
  
Lowering his head slightly, so that it lined up next to Makoto's ear, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.  
What Makoto heard next would follow him in memories for the rest of their lives.  
  
"Baby mine, don't you cry." Through the sobs and tears, Makoto blinked. "Baby mine, dry your eyes." Haru felt like his face was burning with an inferno. He couldn't tell if it was comforting his friend or traumatizing him.   
"Rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine" Lowering his hands, Makoto shifted around slowly so he was now face to chest with Haru, said teen reached down nervously to take on of Makoto's large hands in his. "S-sorry. I didn't know what else to do." The raven haired teen muttered. Taking a deep shaky breath, Makoto glance up at his friend through his eyelashes and offered him a watery smile. "N-no. It's good, keep going?" Haru's eyes nervously swept over the puffy face before him before he nodded. Laying back flat on the floor, Haru used his free hand to encourage Makoto to bring his head to rest on his chest near his heart- which he was positive was about to explode with nerves, he had never comforted anyone like this before- and then wrapped the arm around Makoto's back.   
  
They lay like that for a short while, Makoto's snuffling and quiet sobs still sounding out through the room. Haru tightened the arm around his friend and once more began to sing. "Little one when you play, Don't you mind what they say." Haru could feel the death grip Makoto had on the hand he was holding, he could feel the small puddle of salt water building in the contours of his chest as Makoto continued to cry. He wanted desparently to ask him what had caused this break down. He had seemed so happy at the airport, at the race and again when they spent time with their team and some of the Samezuka team. He felt Makoto shift and heard the watery. "Please..." He relaxed the arm around the larger teen and began to rub his hand up and down Makoto's side in what he prayed was a reassuring manner. "Let those eyes sparkle and shine. Never a tear, baby of mine."   
  
"If they knew sweet little you, they'd end up loving you too. All those same people who scold you, what they'd give just for the right to hold you." He squeezed his arm tighter against Makoto as if in emphasis. Haru couldn't remember a time when his heart wasn't filled with love for the larger boy, even after their fight, it never wavered. He frowned as he tried to remember the next part of the song.   
  
"From your head to your toes, you're so sweet, goodness knows." Haru couldn't think of a sweeter person than his Makoto. The last line flittered through Haru's mind and his blush returned anew, he quickly ducked his head down to brush his lips softly against Makoto's damp forehead before pouring every speck of emotion he felt towards his childhood friend into finishing up the lullaby. "You are so precious to me, sweet as can be, baby of mine."   
  
Silence fell as he ceased singing. Makoto had stopped crying now and was simply sniffling. "Haru?" Said boy glaced down at the mop of dirty blond hair before squeezing his arm around Makoto's shoulders in response.   
"Where did you even learn that song?" Makoto's voice sounded strained and tired, so he brought his free hand up to card the fingers through the taller boys hair. "You sang it to the twins when they were younger." He responded simply. He could feel Makoto's smile against his skin and relief flooded him immediately.   
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" He offered, if Makoto refused, he wouldn't push. Shifting so that his head was now tilted on Haru's chest, Makoto stared into the sea blue eyes that he loved so much and sighed. He could feel the anxiety in his chest and took a moment to collect himself. He finally found the words he had wanted to say since before the fight.   
  


"I love you." There was no repulsion on Haru's face as he expected, no rejection- just confusion. "I love you too- wait, is that why you were crying?" Haru had never been so confused before. Makoto's blush darkened and spread to the tips of his ears. "H-Haru...I mean I  _love_ you...am in love with you." He buried his face behind his hands once more as he allowed Haru a moment for the confession to sink in. He couldn't have prepared himself for the response from above him in a million years.  
  
"Yes and I  _love_ you." Haru stated simply, confusion over the whole situation still filling him. "Makoto- I thought you knew? Haven't we been together since we were kids?" The larger teen finally looked up and into the sincere and confused face of the smaller teen. He had no words, just feelings- feelings that made him lean down to brush a wet and messy kiss against Haru's lips, when he pulled back they were both blushing a shade of red that could rival their shark toothed friends hair.   
  
He knew that if they were anyone else, they would talk out their feelings and discuss what would happen now. But they weren't, they were Haru and Makoto and thinking back on it, Makoto knew this was just a natural step for them to take. Now that he had shed his tears and anxieties, he looked towards the now cold pizza boxes and grumbled an apology. He felt Haru shrug and helped him to sit up, they stared at each other for a moment, really looking for the first time since young adulthood had distracted them. After awhile of silence Makoto began to laugh, hard. Haru raised a brow and just watched as his friend fell backwards clutching his sides. He didn't have to wait long to find the reason behind the sudden fit.   
  
"Haru! I can't believe you sang to me!" He managed to giggle out. Haru blushed once more and briefly wondered if it was possible for a blush to stain ones skin, before he leant over the giggling boy and kissing him soundly. "For Makoto, I'll do anything." The laughing stopped as quickly as it started and Haru had no time to prepare as Makoto launched at him and held him crushed to his chest. A muffled "We should eat" rose from between them and the taller boy pulled the boxes down to them. He allowed enough room for Haru to pull back and take a slice of now cold pizza.   
  
They sat in comfortable silence, chewing their food, pausing for brief and chaste kisses and just stared at each other. Makoto took a deep breath as he realised that no matter what happened between them, they were a constant together. For that- he would follow Haru's dream anywhere it took him. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm toying with the idea of a Makoto one shot at the Airport waiting for Haru and then seeing him. Not sure yet- if I do, I might tack it onto this one as a two piece series.


End file.
